Queen Of Nothing
by WhispersCrow
Summary: Book 3 of The Folk Of Air series, sequel to The Cruel Prince and The Wicked King. Series belongs to Holly Black. I do not own this series.
1. Chapter 1

After a month of utter silence from Heather, the phone rings throughout the house, followed by Vivis racing footsteps. I hear oak in the living room jumping up and down in excitement while the click of the telephone being picked up is heard.

"Heather?" Vivid voice is stained with strain. A few heartbeat pass and she replies to the other line. "Wrong number." Oak stops jumping, his hopes of Heather calling crushed.

I wait for Vivi in the family room, the sound of the TV playing dimly in the background. I set aside the chips I was eating to make room for Vivi. Oak make room for himself on Vivis lap and I fold my arms over her shoulders, offering what warmth I can.

"Give her time." I say softly.

"I have!" She sputters out and reaches out to grip my hand. "I thought one months was enough for humans."

"I'm still not over my going to Faerieland. Heather has a lot to take in Vivi. Let the wound heal." Her grip on my hand relaxes.

"Since when did you get so smart?" She sniffs.

"I think it's just all the dramas I've been watching during my stay here." I manage to laugh it out abbot. I haven't quite finished wallowing. In self pit as Vivi has tried avoiding with Heather.

"You know what? I think I'll go out for once. Get some fresh air." I've barely stepped foot outside after the incident.

"Can I come too?" Oak asks, giddy with excitement.

"No Oak," she answers for me "Maybe give Jude some time too, okay?" I silently thank Vivi and grab my coat. Fall has started and the chill flows around the city air. I grab some spare change off the kitchen counter and head out to the bus stop. When I reach Heathers house, I take a few breaths before rapping on the door.

A middle aged woman answers the door with a smile. When she sees me, it falters.

"Are you Vivianne?" She asks and squints her eyes in suspicious.

"No, I'm her sister. Jude Duarte, it's nice to meet you-"

"Heather is still upset over what happened. She needs time. Please don't bother again."

"I understand, but please- just give me a few minutes with her?" She seems resilient to comply. "Please. At least tell her I'm here." She closes the door softly. I stand waiting in the chill counting my breaths like seconds. A few leaves rustle on her lawn.

When the door opens again, it's Heather. Her pink hair has dulled from time and she's wrapped in a green coat.

"Hi Jude." I answer back with a smile and she walks me to her car. "There is a near by cafe. We can talk there." I hop into the car and sink into the leather seats.

"So how's Oak?" She asks, starting up her car.

"He's good. His reading is getting better." I wait a few uncomfortable seconds before answering the question looming heavily in the air between us. "Vivi is alright. She's worried about you Heather." Her hand grip the steering wheel harshly and we immediately accelerate out of the driveway.

"I'm sorry- I'm just so. Argh!" I let her cool down. "She wants to talk to you. But I have to talk to you first. "

Heather blinks in surprise at my response. She turns back to the wheel and staleys driving. The rest of the ride is silent and when we reach the cafe, Heather orders us a few pastries.

"I know what you feel like and I know what Vivi did was not ok. Sometimes things in Faerie make me feel so frustrated." I think of Sophie. "I know it'll take some time to heal. There is no rush. But I'm here if you need me." She swallows a few times but nods.

"Thanks. And how are you and Cardan." She must have seen my surprised look because she adds "Vivi told me a few details." I close my open mouth and sigh. I rest my head on my hand and a wave of tiredness hits me. I look down at my other hand playing with my napkin. The ruby ring still sits there. Helen follows my line of sight and gasps.

"We're married now." I try to keep my face straight.

"Only a day after bough, he banished me from Faerie." I can't look at Heathers face so I get up and hug her.

"You know I'm here if you need me. Vivi too." Heather numbly nods and hugs me back.

"Don't forget I've got your back too, Jude."

She dropped me back at Vivis after we finished our sweets. She promised me she would talk to Vivi soon.

I have to remember that mortals may be able to lie, but Faries are the true masters of deceit.


	2. Chapter 2

I haven't yet told Vivi of my visit with Heather. Nor Oak. Today is his first day back to school after the weekday and Vivi has dressed him up in bluebell jeans and a transformers t-shirt we bought yesterday while shopping for school snacks. I watch from the couch as Vivi glammers his horns straps his backpack onto his back.

I get up to hug Oak. He jumps into my arms and Vivi laughs.

"All set?" I ask.

"Yup! Vivi even packed me chocolate for lunch!" I give Vivi a quiet death stare from where she's standing st the threshold.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't _just_ pack him chocolates." I give her one more stink eye before giving Oak a pat on the back and tell him to be at school. As if on cue the bus pulls up and Oak runs out of the house, waving to a few kids siting inside the bus.

I go over to the kitchen and scoop out some ice cream for me and Vivi as she sits on the couch. The spoon bends into a perfect angle.

I sigh and toss the spoon into the sink, going into the drawer for some more spoons. When I give Vivi the spoon she awkwardly takes it, shifting abbot in the couch. I cross my arms over my chest.

"What is it?" She shifts abbot more and bits her lip. Her cat eyes narrow a bit before she gives out an exeasperated breath.

"When you left the other day, well. Taryn came over." My ears ring. Vivi turns to me and my ears won't stop ringing.

I force out my voice. It sounds as strong as I push mysel to feel.

"Why did she come?"

"She came to see you. When I asked what she wanted to tell you she just shook her head and said sorry." Vivis eyes tell me she's sorry too for not telling me.

"It doesn't matter. Whatever she has to say has no meaning to me." Vivi is never forgiveful. But what Taryn did to me completely ruined her as it did to me. She's stuck in a cross fire between us, her sisters, and I won't let Taryn cause her any pain.

"Since your being honest with me, the reason I left was to see Heather." Her ears perk up.

"What? What did you tell her- what did she say?" She asks in a hurry. I take a seat onto the couch next to her.

"Nothing, I just asked her to talk to you. She says she'll try." Vic nods numbly and starts spooning out her ice cream and into her mouth. She mumbles a thank you in between her bites and I laugh.

Later, we decide to bake some cookies. Try to do something normal. Vivi has been urging me to find something to do to take my mind of Cardan .i tell her I don't honk about him even if then only reason I harshly train with my sword is because each time I image the sword piercing right through him.

A bag of flour flies up as Vivi trips and heavily lands o the ground, spraying us both. I don't have time to swear at her veal cause a bubbly laughter spills out from my mouth and soon we are both on the ground, laughing with flour sprayed though our hair and clothes.

When the door knocks, Vivi cannot stop her laughter as she twists open the door.

And I, from a jumble of tangly hair and flour all over me cannot believe the Bomb and Roach standing outside of our house.


	3. Chapter 3

**NOTE** : Sorry for being inactive. For te next week, I will be uploading 3 times, once every other day. Im busy with easter break coming up but Ill try to upload anyways!

"You look ridiculous." The bomb says and tucks a lock of her silver ear behind her pointed ears. She shifts slightly in order to cross her arms.

"You must be those spymasters Jude told me about." Vivi says, breaking me from my surprise.

"The Roach. And this is The Bomb." The Roach reaches out to shake Vivis hand.

"Vivi, her sister." She returns.

"We already know that," The Bomb speaks up, already at the side of the dining table picking up and fiddling with the decorations. "We had a thorough check through before waiting to see Jude again."

"We had to be careful." The Roach shrugs as in explanation. I mentally slap myself for not knowing they had been spying on us. If they were the wrong people-

"Let's get to the point." Vivi declares, raking a seat on the couch. The Bomb stops fidgeting with the Tvs remote to come join us, already picking up the food we left on the table.

"Have you heard of any news back home?" The Roach asks. _Home_ he says.

I shake my head. He rubs his in frustration and sighs.

"A lot has been going on." The Bomb takes over and The Roaches spoons a bit of food into his mouth. "Cardan has-" Its been the first time ive heard his name aloud. I take a seat next to Vivi feeling my legs giveway and clench the my fists together, digging my nails in. "been offered a preposition from Madoc."

Vivis hand finds mine and holds tight.

An offer from Madoc can be anything but good.


	4. Chapter 4

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The world is racing and I cant keep up. My ears are ringing and my vision is going at a different beat and I. Dont. Know. What. To. Focus. On.

And I feel someone grab my arm. I feel like Im falling, but somewhere back in my mind I know where I am. Im sitting on that wrinkled beige couch in Vivi's family room and for some reason I think of when we were watching TV. And a knock came. And the carpet was dyed red and my vision was clouded but I couldn't cry because I had to take care of Taryn.

I shove the memory down like I have over the years. I let my brain click the puzzle together as I have been in order to survive Faerie Land

"Jude?" I realize Vivi wasnt just holding me to comfort me. But to support herself too because her eyes have gone gray and her voice is tinged with fear.

"Which daughter?"

I look down at my finger and rub the empty stump.

"We both know its not me. Not after I did all that- all this to Madoc." The game pieces click in my head. An opening, tiny but there, is hidden. Madoc has offered me a way to slip back into this game of Fae.

"There is a chance Madoc would offer your hand in marriage, but it would be unwise. Not with your uncontrollable personality. The only other person Madoc could bend to his will-"

"Oh god," Vivi whispers and her hand slips to her mouth. "He couldn't- Taryns already married." The Bomb goes on.

"The only thing Madoc can gamble to get a tighter grip on Cardan, is if he's married to his heir. In Fae, its possible to be wed to more than one person as long as the first couple gives their blessing to the marriage."

I hear Vivi suck in a wobble breath. A smile seeps through my teeth and announce the obvious.

"He knows controlling Vivi is impossible. Taryns the only option he has left."


End file.
